Charlie Faulkner, the Flagler Beach engineer and developer and president of Faulkner and Associates, was arrested Thursday evening on a drunk driving charge and a charge of criminal mischief for removing a sheriff’s candidate sign on the south side of State Road 100 across from the Target shopping center in Palm Coast.
Sheriff’s candidate Chris Yates, who planted the sign there, had not however gotten permission from Faulkner, who manages the land, nor from the land owner, as candidates are required to do when placing campaign signs on private property. Faulkner made that clear to the arresting deputy. Nevertheless, he was charged.
It’s not the first time for Faulkner: eight years ago then-candidate Kimberle Weeks, who was running for supervisor of elections, pursued a grand theft charge against him over a similar signage issue, in that case involving a Weeks sign she said was valued at $500. The charge was eventually dropped. (Weeks is now battling a dozen felony charges of her own.)
“I manage this property,” Faulkner told the deputy, according to the report. The deputy noted a strong odor of alcohol emitting from Faulkner and said his speech was slurred. He noticed the Chris Yates sign in the woods, and a Don Fleming for sheriff sign still upright, but then transported Faulkner to an area away from traffic, near Olive Garden, where he conducted field-sobriety exercises, following which Faulkner was arrested on a DUI charge. He would later register .094 and .090 in two breathalyzer tests, at the county jail, just over the state’s legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08.
After Faulkner had been removed from the scene of the signs, Yates arrived there and told a deputy he wanted to pursue charges of criminal mischief against Faulkner over the damage done to the sign, a yard sign with a value of $6.95. In an interview this morning, however, Yates acknowledged that he had not sought permission to place the sign there, and said he was unaware that he had to seek out such permission.
After being read his Miranda rights, Faulkner told a deputy that he has been managing the property in question for about 10 years. “I’ve done it hundreds of times throughout my whole career,” he told the deputy, referring to the removal of political signs—in accordance with law and ordinances. “Otherwise it turns into the wild west, you end up with signs all over.” When asked why he had removed that particular sign, he said, “The main reason is they didn’t ask permission to put it up. It is illegal to place a sign on a public right of way, whether it’s state, city or county.” (That, too, is in accordance with law.)
Fleming, he said, had called Faulkner and sought permission to place a sign on that property. “I told him yes, I will support you and that he could put a sign up on the property,” Faulkner is quoted as saying in the arrest report. He further explained how the previous day, the husband of Abra Seay, who is running for supervisor of elections, was planting a sign at the same location, then apologized and removed it after Faulkner told him he had to have permission first.
Faulkner’s firm is a land-development consultancy. Previously, he was vice president of Palm Coast Holdings for nine years. Faulkner did not return a call Friday morning.
Anon says
To the candidate that wanted to press charges for a 6.95 sign… Yeah you are exactly what we need in this county …another under the board blow hard who would go through extreme measures to prove something petty and cause the tax payers of this county money with your B.S….. But nice how you walked it back when you found out that you sir were in the wrong … Drop out and take that mess back to holly hill …
YankeeExPat says
Po·dunk
ˈpōˌdəNGk/
nounUSinformal
noun: Podunk; plural noun: Podunks
a hypothetical small town regarded as typically dull or insignificant.
Will says
Anyone running for office should know that they need permission from the property owner before putting signs on private property.
Who Knows says
It is illegal to place signs in the public right of way. If it was in th e public right of way Mr. Faulkner should have called code enforcement to take it down. If he was charged with the same offense years ago he should know better. If anyone is stuck in the wild wild west it is Charlie, you can’t choose which laws you enforce and ignore others. Drunk driving is illegal but he seems to have done that anyway. His little man anger gets him in hot water all the time.
Jack Howell, PhD says
Hope the arresting deputy did everything by the numbers before Mr. Faulkner was arrested for DUI. I see this DUI case being fully put to the test! Every aspect of probable cause to the booking will be challenged.
D.Redder says
Yates is the same guy that was quoted as saying he loved his job in Holly Hill and if he lost would return to it. I guess if I were a taxpaying resident of Holly Hill I’d feel slighted that a man that professes his love for a job in my town wants to leave. Albeit for a higher pay, but still, where is the love? Then with incident, If he had no permission to go onto the parcel and place the sign why was he not charged with trespassing? Here’s one of the things that a new sheriff should implement, Unless it’s official business no one removes a County Cruiser from the county (ie. take home cars) and all new appointments and promotions require that you actually live in the county that you serve.
Kendall says
Yates fits in well with our two most recent Sheriffs. And not in a good way. We need something different, not another embarrassment.
confidential says
One caught DUI rightfully so by the Sheriff Deputy, while supporting another heavy drinker….God save us from Fleming. Birds of a feather!
Kudos to that deputy for catching red handed and exemplary wealthy leader of this county!! Shame for the bad example of the very influential and so called VIP…And hope our deputy will not be scalded/chatise by the powers that be around here for his bravery!
Really? says
Yates either is lying or he is clueless. Everyone knows you need permission to place signs on private property. Period
Law abiding citizen says
This man is NOT the property owner Will.
Sunny says
Why so many LEOs at the scene immediately? Looked like a murder had taken place instead of somebody rightfully removing an illegally placed campaign sign. Surely our local constabulary has more pressing matters?
anonymous says
I think it’s wrong to steal, or throw away any candidates signs. How petty to try and get in for sheriff’s position.
Btw, for all that should know that corupt Manfre rented stalys cabin. And staly was Manfre undersheriff.
Which was brought to my attention through Flagler live ad two days ago. Staly has not been in law enforcement for quite some time. Ppl pick your candidate wisely. If you are not Republican party and want to vote for John Lamb you would need to change affiliations 30 days prior to primary votes. The voting is on Aug 30, 2016. Early voting is on August 15, 2016.
Biker says
If you drive while intoxicated it should not matter who you are. You should go to jail. Who gives a rats ass why he stopped where he stopped… Bottom line is he was intoxicated. Thank you deputy for doing your job.
Robert Lewis says
So a man was arrested on his own property for removing a trespassers sign?
I hope they spelled his name correctly. I would hate to see someone named Charles Fallkner be arrested.
Jim says
the way the story reads is… the first time the Deputy saw Mr. Faulkner was when he was removing the sign, which sounds like he never observed him operating or even inside his vehicle!?
confidential says
Caught DUI rightfully so by the Sheriff Deputy, while supporting another bar buddies.. Birds of a feather!
Kudos to that deputy for catching red handed and exemplary wealthy leader of this county!! Shame for the bad example of the very influential and so called VIP…And hope our deputy will not be scalded/chatise by the powers that be around here for his bravery!
RT says
Biker,
If the initial reason for the deputy to contact Mr Faulkner was due to observing him take the sign down which was not illegal, and did not see him drive there or actually see him in physical control of his vehicle at any time, it would be a lack of evidence. It can be assumed he drove there but that in itself is not proof.
Greg says
Wow, this was an unecessary arrest; most of been a rookie cop. If the deputy really wanted to do something issue a sworn complaint for criminal mischief and let the State Attorney deal with it. The DUI very questionable; did not observe him driving; waited until he started entering the truck; never saw him behind the wheel of truck, all of these charges will be thrown out. Should file a complaint on deputy. Arresting people on questionable charges is a waste of tax payers money and a dramatic impact ( emotionally and financially) to the people arrested. Palm coast has bigger problem then a property manager removing political signs.
anonymous says
I agree bogus arrest. Wasn’t initially pulled over for dui. He does have the right to take sign off of his property. It definitely was a gun hoe rookie cop.
Anon says
It’s called actual physical control as long as he had the capability to operate the vehicle , he didnt have to be behind the wheel… Or driving …Keys in ignition , vehicle on and running is him having control and the Deputy is able to articulate him entering the vehicle then exiting ….it’s a DUI, how strong depends on the Deputy’s ability to detail the actions the driver took….and the judges understanding of what happened … To include video footage … If he got in the truck by didn’t shut the door , did he have two feet off ground in the cab or was he straddled with a hand on the wheel before stepping Back out .. It happens all the time … Not a bad arrest on the Deputy’s part… Carry on nothing to see here
Anonymous says
If you don’t have the police report or have the cop defending their actions and you are not a judge, don’t question and judge law enforcement and their actions. Faulkner obviously drive to the cite knowing he consumed alcohol and someone could have been killed. This Man deserves what he got and I have no doubt even if the arresting officer is a rookie he knows when someone should be arrested for DUI. Good job FCSO. Wasting tax payers would be being paying law enforcement to protect us and they not do anything about it.
Donald Trump's Tiny Fingers says
Hrm yes I see, what exactly is the relationship between the arresting officer and Yates might I ask.
YankeeExPat says
Corrected!*******
In response to my Legal Eagles Compadres above:
“Wow, this was an unnecessary arrest; most of been a rookie cop”
“Sounds like he never observed him operating or even inside his vehicle”
“Palm coast has bigger problem then a property manager removing political signs.”
The deputy removed a drunk driver, and yes, Mr. Faulkner he was legally intoxicated (.094 and .090 in two breathalyzer tests) off the road.
The Criminal Mischief Charges are a relatively petty crime, but drunk drivers kill, maim and ruin lives not withstanding their own. Drunk drivers cross all socioeconomic classes of Americans, and cause nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. Even if the charges don’t stick, at least for that moment in time a drunk was prevented from putting other innocent lives at risk. At the very least I believe Mr. Faulkner will contemplate the risk of getting behind the wheel after drinking, Cardboard sign thieves might not kill, but drunk drivers do 24-7- 365.
Above the Law says
No one is ABOVE the LAW !!!!!!!
30 year cop says
Wow! Many of these comments are berating the Deputy for not having the probable cause to make the arrest. So you take it that Flagler Live has put every second of action into this report? I guess if Flagler Live doesn’t report the Deputy seeing Mr Faulkner drive, then the Deputy did not see Mr Faulkner drive.
Guess you believe in the Easter Bunny and CNN.
Thomas Conrad says
Any opponent of Weeks is a friend of mine.
Sunny says
This is not a raving maniac driving drunkenly and endangering lives. It’s about politics and the sign in question.
PJ says
Drunk- Get and keep him off the road! Period……..
YankeeExPat says
Sunny
094 and .090 in two breathalyzer tests. The state’s legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08. It is about driving drunkenly and endangering lives.
anonymous says
Bottom line is this place totally sucks. Everything is completely corupt. The good old boy system. They can keep it and shove it. I’m getting the he’ll out of here.
Ben Hogarth says
Private property rights will ultimately prevail over political expression at the Supreme level. This sounds like all the makings of a future Supreme Court Decision and one that probably should be made.
My opinion however, is that if a candidate lacks the basic faculties to understand why placing political signs on private property without the owners consent is ethically wrong or plain stupid, why should anyone vote for them for an office that will require much more jurisprudence or at the very least – common sense.
Of course, voters don’t go into voting booths with an actual education on the candidates themselves. They walk in and vote either with a red or blue pen and sign our reasoning capacities away with each vote.
American Idiocracy